Improvement in watch-regulators



N. STAFLIN.

Watch-Regulators.

NO. 140,090, Patentedjune17,1873.

I I I l/Zi/ if my 60.

AM. PHOTO-LITHOGRAPH/C co. MY (osaamvz's moms) UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE NICOLAS STAFLIN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN WATCH-REGULATORS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 140,090, dated J unc17, 1873; application filed I October 12, 1872.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NICOLAS STAFLIN, of Chicago, in the county of Cookand State of Illinois, have invented a new and ImprovedWatch'Regula-tor; and I do hereby declare the following to baa full,clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings forming part of this specification, in which- Fig.1 is a plan "iew of the top plate of a watch. Fig. 2 is an edge view ofthe same, partly in section. Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view of theregulator. Fig. 4 is an enlarged side view of the same, and Fig. 5 is aperspective view of the guide-plate by which the regulator is connectedto the top plate of a watch.

Similar letters of reference in the accompanyiug drawings denote thesame parts.

My invention has for its object to produce an improved regulator forwatch es,which shall be unaflected by the expansion and contraction ofthe metals under the influence of heat and cold; and to this end theinvention consists, first, in the construction of the regulator;secondly, in the combination therewith of the devices by which it isoperated; and, thirdly, in the construction of these devices, as I willnow proceed to describe.

In the accompanying drawings, A is the top plate of a watch, and B thebalance-bridge. U is the regulator, mounted in the usual manmer upon thebalance-bridge. It is composed of two narrow arms, d d, uniting at theirouter ends to form a single point, e, and formed with ashort arm, F, atits base, midway between the arms d. To this short arm the hair-springof the watch is connected. G is the indexplate secured to thewatch-plate A, so that the point of the regulator shall sweep over thegraduations upon its outer arc. The index-plate is formed with a curvedslot nearly its entire length, and the watch-plate A,within this slot,is cut to form a threaded segmental recess, h, concentric with the pivotof the regulator. I is a small guide-plate, placed transversely withinthe slot of the index-plate, the upturned flange j, at its inner end,entering a groove, k, in the wider surface of the plate G, and. itsouter or narrow end fitting a rabbet in the under edge of the plate,asshown. By

this construction the plate is guided in its j k. m is a small pinion,and n a worm-wheel with a single thread mounted upon a short transverseshaft, having its bearings in upturned ears 1 upon the sides of theguideplate, the center of which is cut out to permit the engagement ofthe worm-wheel with the threads of the segmental recess h. 0 is avertical post provided with a horizontal wormwheel, 1), to engage withthe pinion m. The post is held upon the guide-plate by fitting above theworm-wheel within a slot formed in an upturned arm, q, and by thecontact of the worm-wheel p with the pinion. The guideplate is struck upfrom a single piece of metal into the requisite form for the receptionof its various attachments. The regulator is connected to the gearing ofthe guide-plate by being fitted over the vertical worm-wheel n, as shownin Figs. 1 and 3, so that such wheel shall be directly in line with thepoint e and the pivot of the regulator, as well as the pins by which thehair-spring is connected to the short arm F. R is a small wheel securedto the post 0 above the arm q, and provided with finer graduations thanthose upon the indexplate. By operating this wheel, or by turning thepost with a suitable key, motion is communicated to the worm-wheel athrough the medium of the worm-wheel p and pinion m, which wheel a,engaging with the threads in the segmental recess h, moves theguide-plate and its attachments through the index-plate, carrying withthem the regulator to the desired adjustment. The graduations upon theoperating-wheel indicate fractional parts of those upon the index-plate,and may be re duced to such a degree of fineness as to note theforty-thousandth or even a lesser part of the whole number ofgraduations upon such plate.

Inasmuch as watches necessarily vary considerably in their record oftime, some running faster than others, I design to first set them at thefactory to determine their variation, and then stamp upon a convenientpart of the case or works of each the exact adjustment required tocompensate for the variations, the adjustment being indicated by thenumber of revolutions, or parts thereof, to be given theoperating-wheel. Instead of marking the watch itself, a paper or card ofinstructions may accompany each.

By arranging the point of connection between the regulator and itsoperating devices directly in line with its pivot and point e, and withthe pins which connect the hair-spring to the arm F, the regulatorcontracts and expands equally upon each side of the wheel, and theexpansion and contraction of the top plate of the watch does not changethe position of the regulator with respect to the graduations upon theindex-plate, because the only connection between the regulator and topplate is through the worm-wheel m, and this wheel, restingin one threadof the recess 71, cannot be moved laterally.

Instead of forming the threaded segmental recess directly in the plateof the watch, it may be made in the index-plate, and for old watches Iprefer this construction.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. The sliding plateI, constructed as described, and carrying the pinion m and wormwheels atp, for adjusting the regulator G, substantially as described, for thepurpose specified.

2. The sliding plate I, having the upturned flange j, in combinationwith the watch-plate A, and the index-plate Gr having the groove 7; toreceive the fiangej, and a rabbet to receive the narrow end of the plateI, substantially as described, and for the purpose'specified.

3. The combination of the graduated operating-wheel R with the slidingplate and its operating mechanism, the regulator O, the index-plate G,and the threaded segmental recess h, substantially as described, for thepurpose specified.

Witnesses: NICOLAS STAFLIN.

NATHAN K. ELLswoR'rH, E. A. ELLSWORTH.

